Method and apparatus for the conveyance of articles in glassworking apparatus



A. F.- CASLER ETAL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE CONVEYANCE 0? ARTICLES IN GLASS WORKING APPARATUS Filed Nov 21, 1942 Sept. 23, 1947.

- 14 Sheets-Shoot 1 :m, w s w n Faa T m w M Wmm .r m A T h m 1 vii: .1; J g; 1.; Av

Sept. 23, 1947,

A. F. CASLER El A l4-Shee'ts-Sheet 2 Inventors: Adrien F. Caster, John J. SaLo,

m't'torney.

p 1947- A. F. CASLER ETAL 2,427,712

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF ARTICLES IN GLASS WORKING APPARATUS l4 Sh'eetEhSheet 3 Filed Nov. 21, 1942 Their A't't'orneg.

p 3, 1947. A. F. CASLER EIAL 2,427,712

IETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF ICLES ART GLASS WORKING APPARATUS F d Nov. 21, 1942 14 Sheets-Shut 4 Adrien E Caslef, John J. Salo,

Their At'lzd'neg.

p 1947- A. F. CASLER EI'AL 2,427,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF ARTICLES IN GLASS WORKING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 21, 1942 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 i i/ Mi /'7 //4 V [24 O /Z7 #5; v //a /4/ Invenfors:

Adrin E Caster,

John J. SaLo, by flaw/w I Their A'tfornegx Sept. 23, 1947. A. F. CASLER ETAL ,4 7,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE CONVEYANCE 0F ARTICLES IN GLASS WORKING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 21, 1942 14 Sheets-Sheet 6 lnvenfor's Adrien F. CasLer,

John JSaLo Their A'ttorneg.

Sept. 23, 1947. A. F. CASLER ETAL 2,427,712

METHOD APPARATUS FOR THE CONVEYANCE 08 ARTICLES IN GLASS WORKING APPARATUS Filed Nov, 21, 1942 14 Sheets-Sheet '7 Compressed Air lllll hwventorsr I Adrien F. Caster,

Compressed Air John J. Sate,

The'rr AHorheg.

Sept. 23, 1947- A. F. CASLER ETAL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF ARTICLES IN GLASS WORKING APPARATUS 14 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed NOV. 21, 1942 lrweni'ors. Adrien F. Caster, John JSalo, WW

III/[I114 'IIIIII/I (amprssed heir" At'l'orneg.

Sept. 23, 1947. A. F. CASLER ETAL 2,427,712

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF ARTICLES IN SS WORKING APPARATUS File ov. 21, 1942 l4 Sheets-Sheet 9 i 5 I I I I I /9f 20;

bcuuq Inventors Adrien E Caster,

John J. Sale,- 10 W M Then- A=tforheg.

A. F. GASLER ET AL Sept. 23, 1947. 2,427,712

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF ARTICLES IN GLASS WORKING APPARATUS l4 Sheets-Sheet l0 File d Nov. 21, 1.942

Their A"l: t'orneg.

lnveni'ors: Adrien F. CasLer, John J. SaLo,

Sept. 23, 1947. A. F. cAsLER ErAL 2,427,712

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF ARTICLES IN GLASS WORKING APPARATUS p 1947- A. F. CASLER ETAL 2,427,712

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF ARTICLES IN GLASS WORKING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 21, 1942 14 Sheets-Sheet 12 lnven't'ofsL AdrienFCasLer,

John SaLo,

b WJ Their-A't'torneg.

Sept. 23, 1947. A. F. CASLER EI'AL 2,427,712

IETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE CONVEYANCB OF ARTICLES IN GLASS WORKING APPARATUS 14 Sheets-Shet 13 Filed Nov. 21, 1942 ,5 w S Mm "a HFUJ. .T A enn .B .W W m A T H b IM/I W V H 1H! Sept. 23, 1947-. A. F. CASLER ETAL 2 7 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE CQNVEYANCE 0F ARTICLES IN GLASS WORKING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 21, 1942 14' Sheets-Sheet 14 I 379 lnveh'tows: Adrien F. Caster,

' John J. SaLo,

' Their A'ttorneg.

' Patented Sept. 23,1947

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE CON- VEYANCE OF ARTICLES IN GLASSWORK- IN G APPARATUS Adrien F. Casler, Willonghby, and John J. Salo, Cleveland, Ohio, auignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application November 21, 1942, Serial No. 466,518 8 Claims. (Cl. 198-25) Our invention relates in general to apparatus for severing and'reshaping glass, and more particularly to apparatus for severing a portion of the neck of a lamp bulb and forming an indentation in the bulb wall.

Glass bulbs for miniature electric incandescent lamps, such as the flashlight lamp disclosed in Geiger et al. Patent No. 1,983,362, issued December 4, 1934, are usually blown from glass tubing by a process resulting in the formation of a closed neck on the bulb which must thereafter be cut off in order to provide an opening for the introduction of the lamp mount structure into the bulb. In addition, the bulbs for certain of the lamps disclosed in the said Geiger et al. patent are formed with a small point-shaped indentation in the inner surface of the bulb wall, at a point adjacent the tip of the bulb, for engagement by one of the leading-in wires of the lamp mount to thereby accurately locate andv maintain the lamp filament in a definite position within the bulb.

One object of our invention is to provide apparatus for severing and reshaping glass articles.

Another object of our invention is to provide a fully automatic machine for severing a portion of the neck of a lamp bulb then denting the wall of the bulb.

Still another object of our invention is to provide a fully automatic machine for severing a portion of the neck of a glass bulb at a predetermined point and then forming an outward dent in the bulb wall at the tip of the bulb, the operation of the machine being fully automatic from the time the bulbs are first loaded into the bulb feeding mechanism of the machine until they are discharged from the machine.

A further object of our invention'is to provide a novel transfer arrangement for effecting the transfer of an article from one carrier member of a machine to another carrier member of the said machine.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a machine having a novel article electing arrangement for ejecting the article from an article holder on the machine.

Further objects and advantages of our invention will appear from the following description of a species thereof and from the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a partial plan view of a machine comprising our invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1 with a portion of the front cover plate broken away and with certain of the operating mechanisms adjacent the vertical sectional view of the bulb neck crack-0B first or"'A" turret omitted for purposes of clarity:

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the first or "A" turret of the machine comprising our invention. the sec tion being taken on the line 3-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line l---l of Fig. 2 and showing the driving and operating shaft arrangement of the machine in plan: Fig. 5 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section on line 5-5 of Fig. 6, and Fig. 6 a top view partly in section, of the lower portion of the bulb feeding mechanism of the machine comprising our inventiomFig. '7 is a fragmentary rear eievation of the machine comprising our invention showing the switch and associated cam for making and breaking the electrical circuit through the of; Fig. 11 is a section on line i i-l l of Fig. 13, and

Fig. 12 a perspective view, of the bulb neck crackof! mechanism located at station A8: Fig. 13 is a mechanism at station A8, the upper portion of the view being taken on the line i3-l3 of Fig. l and the lower portion being taken on the line li -i3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the glazing burner unit located at stations A9 and M0; Fig. 15 is a fragmentary front elevation of the machine comprising our invention showing the valve mechanism for supplying compressed air and vacuum to various parts of the machine: Fig. 16 is an end elevation of the valve mechanism shown in Fig. 15; Fig. 17 is a vertical section of the transfer wheel mechanism taken on the line i'l-ll of Fig. 1; Fig. 18 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in section, of the transfer wheel mechanism shown in Fig. 17; Fig. 19 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the transfer wheel with the bulb holders of the associatedturrets A and "3 shown in proper bulb transfer relation thereto; Fig. 201s a section taken on the line 20-20 of Fig. 19; Fig. 21 is a section taken on the line 2l-2l of Fig. 20; Fig. 22 is a vertical section of the second or B turret of the machine mentary plan view of the B" turret shown in Fig. 22 with the upper or chuck support section thereof broken away to more clearly illustrate the intermediate section of the turret: Figs. 24-

and 25 are fragmentary vertical sections, taken on the lines 2424 and 25-25 respectively of Fig. 23, of the intermediate section of the "3 turret; Fig. 26 is a vertical section, on line 2623 of Fig. 23, of one of the bulb chucks on the B turret;

- Fig. 27 is a horizontal section taken on the line and showing one of the bulb chucks on the "B turret in proper operating position relative to the said mechanism; Fig. 30 is an elevation of one of the burners at stations B5 to Bl5 of the B turret and showing one of the bulb chucks partly in section in operative relation thereto; Fig. 31

is a vertical section on line 3l-3 of Fig, 1 of the bulb tipping or denting mechanism at station BIG, the mechanism being shown in its actuated or operative position Fig. 32 is a front elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig .31; Fig. 33 is an enlarged detail section on line 3l-3l of Fig. 1 of the punch head portion of the bulb tipping mechanism at station BIB; Fig. 34 is a front elevation partly in section of the bulb ejecting mechanism at station Bl9; Fig. 35 is a vertical section, partly in elevation, on the line 35-35 of Fig. 34; and Fig. 36 is an elevation, partly in section, of the chuck cleanout air jet arrangement at stations B20 and BM.

The operation, in general, of the machine according to the invention consists in the feeding of a bulb to the first of two turrets on the machine, where the closed end of the bulb neck is first cut off, and then the transfer of the bulb, by automatic transfer mechanism, from the first to the second turret of the machine where the bulb is tipped or dented by suitable denting mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, the machine according to the invention comprises a hollow rectangular-shaped base or housing member [0 having mounted, on the top thereof, a pair of indexing turrets or carrier members A and B. The turrets A, B are disposed adjacent opposite ends of the machine bed housing I0 and are arranged to rotate in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis and in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in plan. For this purpose, turret A is mounted on a vertically extending spindle ll (Fig. 3) which is journaled in suitable ball bearings 12 mounted in a flanged turret bearing 13. The said turret bearing I3 is bolted to the machine bed or housing In over an opening I! therein, and the turret spindle ll extends down through the turret bearing l3 so as to project into the interior of the machine housing 10.

Turret A, which is the first turret to which the bulb is fed during the course of operation of the machine, is suitably secured, as by bolts 15, to a support flange l6 integral with and extending radially outward from the upper end of the spindle H. The turret A is provided with a plurality (preferably sixteen) of hollow cylindrical extensions or head housings ll extending radially outward from the periphery of the turret at uniformly spaced points therearound.

Rotatably mounted within each head housing ll so as to rotate about a horizontal axis extending radially of the turret A, is a head l8 comprising a hollow spindle l9 provided at its outer end with a suction type bulb holder 20 projecting radially outward from the head housing 11. The

spindle I9 is rotatably supported in the head housing I! by means of suitable ball or roller bearings 2| to thereby provide the rotatable mounting for the head l8 1n the head housing 11. The bulb holder 20 is provided with a bulb engaging socket or recess 22 in its outer end for supporting a bulb 23, neck outward, in a horizontal position therein with'the closed neck end 24 of the bulb projecting radially outward beyond the outer end of the holder. Inasmuch as the size and shape of thesaid bulb engaging socket 22 will be different for different sized and shaped bulbs, the bulb holder 20 is removably secured to the spindle 19, such as by a suitable threaded engagement as shown at 25, to thereby permit the interchange of bulb holders 20 having different sized and shaped sockets 22. The bulb holder 20 is further provided with a central bore 26 extending therethrough to thereby provide communication between the bulb socket 22 and the hollow interior of the spindle Id.

The inner end of each head spindle l9 extends into a bore 21 in the turret A, the hollow interior of the spindle thus opening into and communicating with the said bore. The bore 21 extends radially inward of the turret A from the inner wall 28 of an annular channel 23 formed in the under surface of the turret. A sealing washer unit 30 is compressed into the annular space between the spindle is and the wall of the bore 21 to thereby provide a more or less hermetic seal between the said spindle and bore.

Each bore 21 is provided, adJacent its inner end, with a pair of valve ports 3|, 32 spaced apart longitudinally of the bore, the said ports consisting of vertical bores extending upwardly from the horizontal bore 21 to the top surface of turret A. The turret A. with its pair of valve ports 3|, 32 for each head l3, thus constitutes one-half of a rotary valve for connecting each head either to a source of vacuum or to a source of air under pressure, depending upon the particular location of the head and its associated pair of valve ports 3|, 32 during the rotary travel of the turret A. The other half of the said rotary valve is composed of a stationary top or cover plate 33 which rests flat against the upper surface of the turret so as to cover the valve ports 3 I, 32 therein. The cover plate 33 is held in place against rotation by means of an arm 34 bolted at one end to the said cover plate and at the other end to the housing I0.

The under surface 33' of the cover plate 33 is provided with an arcuate channel or vacuum manifold chamber 35 (Figs. 1 and 3) concentric with the turret A and in line with the rotary travel of the innermost valve ports 3| so as to communicate therewith. The said channel 33 is connected by pipe 56 to a source of vacuum, such as a vacuum pump, and extends from a point just preceding station Al to a point intermediate stations M2 and A13, as shown in Fig. 1. As a result, each head I3 is continuously connected to a vacuum through the chamber 35 and pipe 53 from the time the head reaches the first or load-' ing station A-l until it reaches the point intermediate stations AH and M3 where the innermost valve port 3| passes beyond the terminal end'of the chamber 35.

A For providing a continuous vacuum, however, in each head l3 during the entire indexing movement thereof from stations M2 to AI3, the under surface 33' of the cover plate 33 is further provided with a second, relatively short arcuate channel or recess 31 (Figs. 1 and 3) concentric with the turret A and in line with the rotary travel of the outermost valve ports 32 so as to communicate therewith. The said recess 31 extends from a point opposite but slightly overlapping the terminal end of the main vacuum chamber 35 to a point just beyond station AI3. The recess 31 is connected by pipes 38, 38' and 38" (Figs. 1, 3 and 15) to a pair of cam operated poppet valves I59, I69 (Figs. 2 and 15) for first connecting the said recess to a vacuum during the interval when the outermost valve port 32 is traversing the recess, and then connecting the said recess to a source of compressed air, or other suitable gas under pressure, after the head It reaches and i positioned at the discharge station AI3.

It is thus evident that'the two chambers 35 and 31, together with their co-operating valve ports 3| and 32, respectively, provide a continuous connection of each head I8 to a vacuum from the time the head first reaches the loading station A--I until it finally reaches the discharge or transfer station AI3. In addition, the aforementioned poppet valves I59 and I69, which serve to connect each head III to a source of compressed air after the head reache the discharge station AI3, accordingly constitute means for providing a blast of air in each head at the said station AI 3 for expelling the bulb 23 held therein.

As a check to insure the ejection of the bulb 23, or any broken fragments thereof, from the head I8 after the latter haslpassed the discharge station AI3 but before it again reaches the loadin station A-|, a blast of air or other suitable gaseous medium under pressure, is passed through.

the head during the course of its movement from stations AI3 to A-I. For this purpose, the cover plate 33 is provided with a vertical bore 39 (Fig. 1) preferably located between stations A 'I4 and AI5 and in line with the path of rotary travel of the outermost valve ports 32' in the turret A. The said vertical bore 39 is connected by pipe 49 to a suitable source of compressed air or other. gaseous medium under pressure so that when the valve port 32 of each head moves across the bore 39, as the turret indexes the heads from stations AM to AI5, a blast of air is forced through the head to eject any bulb or broken glass still remaining inthe bulb holder 29.

The counterclockwise rotational indexing of the turret A is effected by means of a barrel type cam 4| (Figs. 34) keyed to a cross shaft 42 extending transversely of the machine and journaled in spaced bearings 43 supported in the housing I 9. A disc 44, keyed to the lower end of the turret spindle II, is provided with a plurality (only two being shown in Fig. 3) of depending tapered rollers 45, one for each head |8 of the turret A, which engage and ride in a helical groove 46 cut in the periphery of the barrel cam 4| to thereby index the turret. The cross shaft 42 is driven by a main drive shaft 41 I driven by an electric motor 55 through a belt drive, the forward ends of the cross shaft 5| and through a worm gear drive comprising a worm gear on the main drive shaft and a meshin ,worm wheel'49 keyed to the cross shaft 42. The

the motor shaft 56 being provided with pulleys.'

For effecting counterclockwise rotation of the heads I8 in the turret head housings II (as viewed from the outer ends of the heads), the spindle I9 of each head is provided with a bevel pinion gear 69 which is fixedly mounted on the spindle adjacent the inner end thereof and in line with the annular channel 29 in the under surface of the turret. The said pinion -gear 69 meshes with a bevel drive gear 6| keyed to a vertical shaft 62 extending through the hollow interior of the turret spindle I I. The bevel drive gear 6| extends laterally out between the turret A and the turret support flange I6 through a shallow chamber 63 formed in -the.under surface of the turret. The vertical shaft 62 is ioumaled adjacent its upper end in a ball bearing 64 mounted in the hollow turret spindle II. At its lower end, the said shaft 621s journaled in a bearing 65 mounted on the housing I9. The vertical shaft 62 is driven by a cross shaft 66 (Figs. 3-4) through a worm gear drive comprising a worm wheel 61. mounted on the lower end of the vertical shaft 62 anda meshing worm gear 68 mounted on the cross shaft 66. The said cross shaft 66 is journaled in spaced ball bearings 69 mounted in the housing I9, and is driven by the electric motor 55 through a belt drive, the forward end of the said shaft..6,6 being provided with a pulley I9 which is connected by a belt 'II to a pulley I2 on the motor shaft 56.

At the first or loading station A-| of the machine, the bulb 23 to be operated on is automatically fed to the turret head I8 positioned at the said station. The bulb 23 is fed to the machine from an automatic feeding device similar to that described and claimed in Fagan et al. United States Patent No. 1, 536,833, issued May 5, 1925, and comprising, in part, an inclined slotted guideway or tube I3 (Figs. 5-6) rigidly secured to a bracket I4 fastened to the machine housing I9. The bulbs 23 to be fed to the'machine are inserted in the tube or chute I3, with their closed neck ends 24 extending downwardly through a longitudinal slot 15 in the chute, by

automatic loading mechanism (not shown) similar to that described and claimed in the said Fagan et al. patent. The bulbs 23 slide down the chute I3 to a release or escapement mechanism I6 (Fig. 6) located a short distance up from the lower end of the chute, where the bulbs are eventually released, one by one, as successive heads I8 on turret A are indexed to the loading station AI opposite the lower or discharge end of the chute I3.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the bulb release mechanism I6 comprises a pair of substantially horizontally disposed reciprocatable plungers or pins 11, I8 spaced apart longitudinally of the chute or slide I3 and extending therein-to through apertures in the side wall of the chute. The said pins 11, I8 are slidably mounted in openings I9 in a support or guide block 89 rigidly attached to the side of the chute I3. Coil springs 8|, dis posed in the openings I9 in block 89, and fitting over the pins II, I8, constantly urge the said pins outwardly of the chute 13 and into engagement with the inner side 82 of a reciprocatable bar or cam 83 slidably mounted in the support block 89 to reciprocate across the outer ends of the pins 11, I8. The said inner side 62. of the cam bar 83 is provided with a V-shaped identation or notch 84 which is alternately disposed opposite the end of each pin 'I'I, |8 as the bar 83 reciprocatea For effecting reciprocation of the notched bar or cam plate 83, one end of the said bar is connected by link 85 to the movable armature or plunger 88 of a solenoid 81 fixedly secured to the chute 13. The other end of the cam bar 83 is connected to one end of a tension coil spring 88 which is fastened at its other end to a. bracket 88 rigidly secured to the support block 88. When the solenoid 81 is energized, the movable armature 88 pulls the cam bar 83 in one direction across the outer ends of the pins 11, 18 against the resistance of the coil spring 88. which on deenergization of the solenoid, the tension of the coil spring 88 pulls the bar 83 back in the opposite direction. The movement of the bar 83 is limited in one direction by the engagement of the inner end 88 of the solenoid armature or plunger 88 with a stop 88 within the solenoid,'while movement in the other direction islimited by the engagement of a stop pin 8| on the cam bar 83 with the side wall 88' of the support block 88.

The solenoid 81 is alternately energized and deenergized by a switch 82 through which the solenoid is connected, by leads 83, 84 and 85 to a source of current, as shown in Figs. 6 and '7. The said switch 82 is mounted on the rear of the machine housing I8 adiacent the rear end of shaft 42 (Fig. 4), and it is opened and closed by the action of a cam 88 mounted on the rear end The spring plungers or pins 11, 18 are spaced apart longitudinally of the chute 13 a distance approximately equal to, but preferably a little less than, the width of one of the bulbs 23, and by reason of the action of the solenoid 81 and spring 88 on the cam bar 83, the said bar is caused to reciprocate and to cause the pins 11 and 18 to alternately move into, and hold back, the line of bulbs 23 in the chute. Thus, when the upper pin 18 is in its retracted position, the lower pin 11 is in its innermost position (as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6) and so acts as a gate to hold back the entire line of bulbs 23 in the chute. I-liowever, when the position of the pins 11, 18 is reversed so as to retract the lower pin 11 and move it out of the path of travel of the bulbs down the chute, then the lowermost bulb 23 in the chute is free to slide down the chute to the lower or discharge end of the chute. At the same time, the upper in 18, by reason of the movement thereof to its innermost position, acts as a gate to hold back the remainder of the line of bulbs in the chute, as shown in Figs. and 6. 0n the next reversal of the position of the pins 11, 18, the retraction of the upper pin 18 allows the entire line of bulbs in the chute to slide down until the lowermost bulb in the line abuts against the lower in 11, which is then in its innermost position. The said lowermost bulb thus moves down into the position occupied by the bulb previously released, and is therefore in a position to be released by the next reversal of the position of the pins l1, 18.

The bulb release or escapement mechanism 18, through the action of cam 88 on the switch 82 controlling the solenoid 81, is operated in timed relation with the movement and positioning of the heads I8 on turret A so as to release a single bulb 23 each time a head I8 is positioned at the loading station-AI opposite the discharge end of the chute 13. Secured to the lower end of the tube or shute 13 is an end piece or guide I88 having a tongue I8I extending a short distance up into the chute slot 15 so as to obstruct the same. As the released bulb 23 slides down the chute in an upright position, the depending neck portion 24 of the bulb strikes the curved end wall I82 of the tongue I8I, thus causing the bulb to be inverted or tipped over (as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5) and to slide, bulbous portion first, down the remainder of the chute.

The end piece or shoe I88 is provided with a horizontally extending bulb guiding portion I83 which projects out from the lower end of the chute 13 to form a lip thereon serving to guide the bulb horizontally into the bulb holder 28 on the turret A. As the bulb approaches the end of the lip I83, it is drawn into and held in the bulb holder 28 by the suction in the said holder. To prevent overturning of the bulb as it enters the bulb holder 28, the lip I83 of the end piece I88 is formed with an upstanding loop-shaped guard I84 (Figs. 5 and 8) which entirely surrounds the bulb except for a small opening I85 at one side thereof through which the bulb can pass as it is indexed from station A-I to station A2 by the turret A.

To enable the feeding of various sized bulbs to the turret A, various parts of the bulb feeding mechanism, such as the chute 13, support block 88, cam bar 83, etc., are made interchangeable with similar parts of different dimensions so as to accommodate such different sized bulbs.

After a bulb 23 has been fed to one of the heads I8 of the turret A, the latter then successively indexes the said head through stations A2 to A5, which are idle stations, and thence to station A8 where, as shown in Fig. 9, the projecting neck 24 of the bulb is engaged by a straight upper edge I88 on an arcuate-shaped stationary aligning bar or plate I81 to thereby align the bulb neck with the axis of rotation of the bulb holder 28. The said aligning or centering bar I 81 is .supported on a bracket I88 secured to the machine frame or housing I8, the bar being fastened to the bracket by an adjustable mounting for permitting vertical adjustment of the bar to .the correct position for centering or aligning the bulbs 23 in the holders 28.

From station A6, each head I8 is then indexed to station A1 where highly concentrated pinpoint flames I89 from a burner II8 are directed against the neck 24 of the rotating bulb at the point where the neck is to be severed, as shown in Fig. 10. The burner H8 is supported on a bracket III secured to the machine housing I8 as by bolts I I I', and is connected, through a mixing valve and connecting pipes (not shown), to sources of hydrogen and oxygen. In order to enable proper location of the burner fires I88 relative to the bulb neck 24, the burner I I8 is adjustably mounted on the bracket II I for vertical adjustment thereon, while the bracket III is adjustably mounted on the machine housing I8 for movement radially inward and outward of the turret A. Inasmuch as the bulb 23 is continuously rotated while it is being heated by the burner fires I88 at station A1, the bulb neck 24 is accordingly heated uniformly around its entire circumference by the said burner fires.

Following the heating of the bulb neck 24 at station A1, the head I8 carrying the heated bulb is then indexed to station A8 where the closed outer end of the bulb neck is cracked off by the' engagement of a chilled metal crack-off wheel or disc II3 with the annular heated zone of the rotating bulb neck. The said crack-oil wheel nuiar heated zone of the bulb neck, thus severing the outer closed end of the bulb neck from the rest of the bulb.

The metal crack-oil wheel H3 is rotatably mounted on one end of a rocker arm I I4 arranged to rock in a vertical plane to thereby move the wheel H3 vertically into and out of engagement with the bulb neck 24. The wheel H3 and rocker arm H4 are disposed within a cooling liquid reservoir or casing H5 filled with a cooling liquid H3, such as water, in which liquid the wheel is fully lmmersed,'by the movement of the rocker arm, after each cracking-off operation. The rocker arm H4 is pivotally mounted between its ends on a shaft H1 supported in the casing H5, The end H0 of the rocker arm opposite that end thereof provided with the crack-oi! wheel H3, is connected by a vertically extending link element H8 to a bracket I20 rigidly fastened to the upper end of a vertically.

reciprocatable rod I2I, as by a nut I22. The reciprocating movement of the rod I2I is thus transmitted by the link H8 to the end H8 of the rocker arm to thereby effect the rocking movement of the said arm. 7

The connecting link H8 comprises a tie rod or bolt I23 (Fig. 11) having a head I24 at one end thereof pivotally connected to the end H8 of the rocker arm H4. The other end of the tie bolt I23 extends up through an opening in the bracket I 20 so as to freely slide therethrough. A nut I25 threaded onto the upper end of the tie bolt I23 provides a stop against which the bracket I20 abuts, on upward movement of the rod I2I, to thereby pull the bolt I23 and the rocker arm end H8 in an upward direction.

. Downward movement, however, of rod I2I is transmitted to the rocker arm end H8 through a compression coil spring I28 which surrounds the tie bolt I23 and bears at one end against the under surface of the bracket I20 and at the other end against the tie rod head I24. Downward movement of the rod I2I thus raises and presses the crack-off wheel H3 into engagement with the bulb neck 24 through the compressive resistance of the coil spring I26.

The reciprocatable rod I2I is slidably mount-. ed in a vertically elongated lateral extension or bearing I21 on the casing H5. To prevent rotational movement of the bracket I20 by reason of the turning of theassociated rod I2I in its bearing I21, suitable, guiding or rotational locking means are provided therefor comprising a vertically extending guide rod I28 threaded into the upper end of the casing extension I21 and extending upwardly therefrom through a guide opening I29 in the bracket I20 so that the latter freelyslides along the guide rod I28 as the rod I2I reciprocates.

The rod I2I is reciprocated by a second vertically reciprocatable driving rod I30 (Figs. 12-13) slidab'ly mounted in an upstanding bearing I3I secured to the machine housing I0, the two rods I2I and I30 being rigidly interconnected by a cross arm or tie rod I32 to thereby form a unitary sliding rod assembly. The driving rod I30 extends down through the machine housing I0 and into a rectangular-shaped shallow recess rod assembly, comprising the rods I2I and I I33 in the front wall of the housing. As shown in Figs. 2. 12 and 13, the lower end of the driving rod I30 rests against a roller I34 rotatably mounted on one arm of a bell crank lever I35 which is disposed within the said recess I33 and is pivotally mounted, at its center, on a stud I36 secured to and extending out from the recessed front wall portion I31 of the machine housing I0. The other arm of the lever I35 is also provided with a roller I38 which engages the periphery or working surface I38 of a cam I40 keyed to the front end of cross shaft 42.

The reciprocating rod unit, comprising the two reciprocating rods I2I and I30 together with the tie rod I32, is constantly urged downwardly by a compression coil spring I (Fig 11) disposed within the casing extension I21. The said spring I surrounds the rod I2I and bears at its upper end against a shoulder I43 within the casing extension I21 and at its lower end against a head I44 on the said rod I2I. The action of the spring I forces the lower end of rod I30 down into engagement with the roller I34 on lever I35 so that the other roller I38 on said lever is, in turn, continuously pressed against the working surface of the cam I40.

It is thus apparent that, through the action of the cam I40 and the spring I4I, the reciprocating and the tie 'rod I32, is alternately moved up and down to thereby rock the rocker arm H4 and so move the crack-off wheel H3 up and down into and out of engagement with the neck 24 of the bulb 23 positioned at the crack-off station A8. To insure contact of the chilled crack-off wheel H3 with the bulb neck 24 around the entire circinnference thereof, the working surface I39 of the cam I 40 is so shaped as to provide a relatively extended period of time during which the crack-off wheel H3 is in engagement with the rotating bulb neck while the'bulb is positioned at the crack-off station A8.

Inasmuch as the support of the bulb 23 in the holder 20 is in the nature of a more or less ball and socket arrangement, the engagement provided at the crack-off station A8, the said locking means comprising a fork-shaped guard member I45 which is arranged to be moved down over the neck 24 of the bulb so as to engage opposite sides of the bulb neck at a point radially outward ofthe point of engagement of the bulb neck with the crack-off wheel H3. The said guard member I45 is secured to the lower end of a, vertical rod I45 which is adjustably mounted on an L-shaped bracket I41 rigidly attached to the upper end of the vertically reciprocatable rod I30. The fork-shaped guard I45 thus reciprocates with the reciprocating drive rod I30 so that when the said rod I 30 moves down to thereby raise the crack-off wheel H3 into engagement with the bulb neck, the fork-shaped guard I45 will simultaneously move down around the bulb neck 24 so as to firmly hold the bulb in-proper III, a V-shaped cover I 33 is provided therefor, as' shown in Figs. 12 and 13. The said cover thus shown) From the neck crack-oil station A3, each head I3 is successively indexed to stations A3 and AIII where the cut edge or end I63 of the projecting bulb neck 23 is heated, by gas flames I3I directed thereagalnst from burners I32 and I63 (Fig. 14) at said stations, to thereby glaze or smooth the said edge of the bulb neck. The burners I52, I53 are adjustably supported on a bracket I54 adjustably, secured to the machine housing I3, and are connected, by pipes I55 and I36, respectively,

'to a supply of gaseous combustion admixture in-- gradients, such as oxygen and hydrogen.

After the glazing of the end of the bulb neck at stations A3 and AI3, the head I3 carrying the bulb '.23.is then indexed through an idle station All and thence to station AI2 where the bulb is again aligned in the holder 23 by engagement with "a straight upper edge on a stationary aligning bar or plate I36 (Fig. 1) similar to the other aligning bar I31 (Fig. 9) at station A6. Like the saids-bar I31, the bar I33 is adjustably mounted ona. bracket I33 adjustably secured to the machine housing I3, and serves to realign the bulb in the holder following the neck crack-off operationjand preparatory to the transfer of the bulb to a transfer mechanism at the ensuing station AII.

From station All, the head I3 is indexed to the bulb discharge station AI3 where the bulb 33 held in the said head is transferred from the bulb holder- 23 to an opposed holder I6I on a second carrier member or transfer wheel T rotatably mounted on the machine housing-I3. The transfer of the bulb is effected by the interruptlon of the vacuum in the head I3 to first release the bulb in the holder 23, followed by the immediate passage of a blast of air through the head I3 to eject the bulb therefrom and into the opposed holder I of the transfer wheel where it'is'retained by a vacuum in the said holder I6I.

The interruption of the vacuum in the head I3 occurs when the said head reaches the discharge station AI3, and is effected by, the closing valve head I33 seated against the valve seat I33, by a compression coil spring I13 disposed within the hollow interior I63 of the valv body- I62. The said spring I12 bears at one and against the valve pin head I63 and at its other end against a closure cap I13 threaded into the valve body cover plate 33 through the pipe 33 which confastened to the front wall of the machine housinjg I3 within the recess I33 therein'and adjacent the forward end of a cross shaft I63 driven by themain drive shaft "through a worm gear Ill'and a meshing worm wheel I66 (Fig. 4). Blldably mounted within the hollow interior I63 of, the valve body is a valve pin I61 having a tapered head I33 at one end thereof adapted to seat against a valve seat I63 formed in the hoilow interior of the valve body. The other end of the valve pin I61. projects outwardly beyond the valve body I32 for engagement with a cam I13 or III mounted on the shaft I63. The valve is normally maintained in a closed position, with the The hollow interiors I33 of the two valves I33. I63, at one side of the valve seats I33 therein, are interconnected by pipes 33', 33" and also communicate with the recess 31 in the turret is connected by pipe I13 to a supply of compressed alr at relatively low pressure.

The vacuum supply valve I63 is operated by cam I13, while the low pressure air valve I63 is operated by cam Hi. The working surfaces I16, I11 of the two cams I 13, "I are so shaped that when one of the valves I33, I63 is opened, the other closes, and vice versa, so that a vacuum or air pressure is alternately supplied through pipe 33 to the recess 31 and thus to each head I3 when positioned at station AI3. In addition, the operation of the cams I13, "I, and therefore the valves I33, I63; is so timed with the indexing movement and positioning of the turret A as to supply vacuum to the turret heads I3 during the interval when the are indexing from stations Al: to AI3, and then to supply air pressure to periphery of turret A, and is arranged to rotate in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed from the front of the machine) about a horizontal axis disposed at right angles to the axis of rotation of each turret head 23 when positioned at the discharge station AI3. As shown in Figs. 17-19, the rotational mounting of the transfer wheel T comprises a horizontal cross shaft I13 extending across the top of the machine housing at right angles to the vertical plane common to the axes of rotation of the two turrets A and B, the transfer wheel being mounted on and keyed to the said shaft I13. At its forward end, the said shaft I13 is Journaled in a ball bearing I13 (Fig. 17) mounted in an upstanding support bracket I 33 bolted to the machine housing I3. The rear end of the said shaft I13 is likewise Journaled in a ball hearing "I mounted in a horizontally extending portion I 33 of an L- shaped shaft housing I33 the vertical portion I33 of which is bolted to the machine housing I3 over an opening I 35 therein.

The transfer wheel T is provided with a plurality (preferably twelve) of 'bulb holders "I each comprising a cylindrical socket member J33 (Fig. 20) extending radially out from the periphery of the transfer wheel and secured in a recess I31 therein by a sleeve-type nut I33 threaded into the said recess. The nut I33 surrounds the socket I33 and is screweddown against an annular shoulder I33 on said socket whereby the latter is forced inwardly of the recess and clamped between the bottom I33 of the recess 

